Can India do it down under?

apart, of course, from sending out a signal to other Australian players that cheating would not entail harsh punishment after all.

However, Smith and Warner’s absence does not mitigate the importance of the second factor – India’s pace attack — why Kohli’s team would be starting as favourites in the s e r i e s . Hypothetically, even if these two stalwarts were playing, India would start on even terms, if not favourites.

Historically, Indian teams have struggled overseas because of lack of wherewithal in the pace bowling d e p a r t m e n t . India’s hopes were pinned on spinners, for whom conditions would usually be difficult. That has changed remarkably in the past 67 years.

In Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Mhammed Shami, India now have arguably the best pace attack in the world: Or at least the firepower to quell the best batting lineups in all conditions.

In the three Tests against South Africa at the start of the year, India’s bowlers claimed all 60 wickets, the bulk of them to pace bowlers. In the 5 Tests against England, the bowling performance was no less impressive, though the home team wasn’t bowled out in all 10 innings. On Australian pitches, with their pace and bounce, it is reasonable to expect that India’s pace bowlers will be able to replicate the form and success they showed in South Africa and England.

But thereafter arises the all- important rider: unless India’s batting plays to potential and provides enough runs to, howsoever sterling the performance of the bowlers, it will come to naught.

It is instructive that of the eight Tests played overseas by India this year, 6 were lost, three of them from potentially winning positions: not because the bowlers didn’t deliver, but because despite their best efforts the batting flopped badly. Ironically, what was supposed to be India’s strength has turned out to be the bane. Barring the brilliant Kohli, none of the other batsman has done justice to his high reputation, or the demands of the team. This was supposed to be the year when Indian cricket would come of age, show off its strength by winning overseas. The series’s against South Africa and England, in the context, were disappointing.

The series against Australia offers scope for redemption. But unless the batting comes good, it will be tough to win, i r re s p e c - tive of S m i t h a n d Warner’s absence.